Pump or CO2 ?

Topeak Road Morph Mini Pump for on the road
Pump never runs out of air. I can get the 125 psi that I need with less pumps than most pumps of comparable compactness. Fram mount is not a problem for me.

Topeak Joe Blow at home
Works well. No problems.

tafi said:

Those who use CO2 are lazy [censored]. Try adding some upper body exercise to your rides! Also, you buy one pump and you don't have to buy another one. One more reason to stay away from the place where all your money goes, the bike shop.

Tafi, you're right I'll start using a pump on the road, then I can cancel my gym membership! I'll also throw away my floor pump at home... What a lame reason to choose a pump. Yesterday I had a flat and using CO2, I was back on the road in less than 7 minutes - and i wasn't even rushing.

I suppose you also have a problem with carrying a spare tube. After all, patching a tube on the side of the road really develops your eye hand coordination!

I was wondering is there a special adaptor needed for the CO2??? Flame away i know... I'm a newbie.

SWEETRIDE4ME said:

I was wondering is there a special adaptor needed for the CO2??? Flame away i know... I'm a newbie.

Like most new pumps, most newer CO2 inflators will adapt for either Presta or Schrader type valvestems; but check the specs to make sure.

The other main differences are the sizes and type of CO2 cartridges that different models will accept (12, 16 or 25 gram) and threaded and non-threaded.

serenaslu said:

Like most new pumps, most newer CO2 inflators will adapt for either Presta or Schrader type valvestems; but check the specs to make sure.

The other main differences are the sizes and type of CO2 cartridges that different models will accept (12, 16 or 25 gram) and threaded and non-threaded.

Thanks. Sometimes as a newbie I feel like I am asking the same question a 100 people have already asked. I appreciate the reply.

SWEETRIDE4ME said:

Thanks. Sometimes as a newbie I feel like I am asking the same question a 100 people have already asked. I appreciate the reply.

Nothing wrong with asking a 'noob' question, but sometimes you can use the search function and find a lot of previous threads on a subject.

SWEETRIDE4ME said:

I was wondering is there a special adaptor needed for the CO2??? Flame away i know... I'm a newbie.

sorry you feel like you get flamed so much. I think alot of people get tired of the questions that dont have a direct answer, or are too open ended. what frame is right for me, which metal is better, etc. there are no hard and fast answers for these questions, and they are really better asked of someone standing directly in front of you, ie your venerable LBS salesperson.

special adapter for CO2? there are a couple of different choices... some are fully enclosed units that you insert a cartridge into, then it will have some sort of tigger and or lock, or there are ones that use threaded cartridges, that are little more than screw on valves for said cartridges. as far as schrader vs pesta, most use smartheads (ones that can fill both). Hope that helps.

innovationsaz.cominnovationsaz.comOpen ↗

^^^^ maker of co2 systems

SWEETRIDE4ME said:

I was wondering is there a special adaptor needed for the CO2??? Flame away i know... I'm a newbie.

I highly recommend this item:
http://www.innovationsaz.com/INmain.asp?Option=Detail&Type=&ID=10&Category=bike&SubCategory=power

It's compact and easy to use and has never let me down - there's no reason to get any other inflator. The threaded C02 cartridges make life very easy. The seal works great on a Schrader valve - have never tried on a Presta valve.

I also have one of these:
http://www.innovationsaz.com/INmain.asp?Option=Detail&Type=&ID=1&Category=bike&SubCategory=power

Bulky and doesn't seal as well. Only benefit is that you can use non-threaded cartridges, but who cares. Stick with the first one and you will be happy.

I use a pump for 2 reasons:

Seeing discarded CO2 cartridges on the side of the road from litter bug cyclists pisses me off 😠

Met a guy once who for some reason or another had messed up and his only CO2 drained while trying to inflate a flat - thus no air for his tires! He was sure happy to have me let him use my pump 😉

Tim

lumpy said:

I use a pump for 2 reasons:

Seeing discarded CO2 cartridges on the side of the road from litter bug cyclists pisses me off 😠

Met a guy once who for some reason or another had messed up and his only CO2 drained while trying to inflate a flat - thus no air for his tires! He was sure happy to have me let him use my pump 😉

Tim

I agree, I don't like the idea of just creating more waste when i can just use my handy dandy mini pump which works really well and in my opinion is just as good as a CO2 pump if not better.

NO limit on air
NO hassle with cartridges
Very reliable

Thanks salsa rider and wingnutt. Those both help a ton. Will let you know how it goes when I get my first flat (hopefully not anytime soon).

beels99 said:

I agree, I don't like the idea of just creating more waste when i can just use my handy dandy mini pump which works really well and in my opinion is just as good as a CO2 pump if not better.

NO limit on air
NO hassle with cartridges
Very reliable

I totally agree with you guys. I touched on this in my first post to this thread (#5). I'm shocked that so many people use C02 over a pump. Why? About the only time I can see a legitimate reason for using C02 is changing a flat in an MTB race, since mechanical support isn't allowed and making the change as fast as humanly possible is important.

I guess it all comes down to our "to hell with the environment, it's all about convenience" socitey. We've got disposable diapers, toilet brushes, floor mops and dusters, cameras, etc., etc.,etc... C'mon, use it and throw it away!

I'm not really an environmental crusader and I don't mean to offend anyone but I just can't see any valid reason (aside from the one I already mentioned) for using C02 instead of a pump.

I don't see the environmental argument against carts really. The amount of empty CO2 carts tossed in the ditch by cyclists must be extremely minimal, considering that:

1. The relative few amount of flats
2. 1/2 to 1/3 of us use pumps
3. Many that do use CO2 don't throw them on the side, but pocket the empties and dispose of later

I suppose that every little bit helps, but I don't see empty carts as a great enviro problem.

Wurm said:

I don't see the environmental argument against carts really. The amount of empty CO2 carts tossed in the ditch by cyclists must be extremely minimal, considering that:

1. The relative few amount of flats
2. 1/2 to 1/3 of us use pumps
3. Many that do use CO2 don't throw them on the side, but pocket the empties and dispose of later

I suppose that every little bit helps, but I don't see empty carts as a great enviro problem.

I don't want to take-up that environmentalist side of the argument (really!). But my point is that even if the cartridges aren't tossed on the roadside (and my guess is that most cyclists have the good sense not to do that), they just wind-up in a land-fill somehwhere. With a pump there's no waste and just a little more effort. That's all.

meehs said:

I don't want to take-up that environmentalist side of the argument (really!). But my point is that even if the cartridges aren't tossed on the roadside (and my guess is that most cyclists have the good sense not to do that), they just wind-up in a land-fill somehwhere. With a pump there's no waste and just a little more effort. That's all.

If I was a weight weenie or had a really nice bike I'd consider CO2, but for us beginners, the extra weight probably helps us get our butts in better shape. 🙂

Pump. Because if I were to have CO2, with my luck I'd have a dead cartridge, I'd misalign the connector and drain the cart into the air and not into the tube, or I'd just plain forget to put a new cart in the saddlebag!

I'm not a competitive racer, so there's no need for me to hurry when changing tubes. Plus, I have a small saddlebag that barely fits a couple of tubes, my tools, and cellphone. I can't possibly fit the carts and inflator in there without buying another bag.

Danian said:

Pump. Because if I were to have CO2, with my luck I'd have a dead cartridge, I'd misalign the connector and drain the cart into the air and not into the tube, or I'd just plain forget to put a new cart in the saddlebag!

I'm not a competitive racer, so there's no need for me to hurry when changing tubes. Plus, I have a small saddlebag that barely fits a couple of tubes, my tools, and cellphone. I can't possibly fit the carts and inflator in there without buying another bag.

I'm definitely a pumper, but after my pump broke on me halfway through a 200 mile ride I have started carrying a couple of CO2 carts as backup. I agree that it is a lot of waste to be throwing out these metal canisters the whole time (unless anybody knows where to get them refilled).